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River Man by Nick Drake
River Man
Add9
Am9 Gmadd4
Betty came by on her way
F
Said she had a word to say
Aadd9
'Bout things today and the falling leaves
Am9 Gmadd4
Said she hadn't heard the news
F
Hadn't had the time to choose
Aadd9
A way to lose what she believes
Gonna see the riverman
Gonna tell him all I can
About the plan for my return
If he tells me all he knows
'Bout the way his river flows
And all night shows in summertime
Betty said she prayed today
For the sky to blow away
Or maybe stay, she wasn't sure
For when she thought of summer end
Calling for her mind again
She lost the pain, and stayed for more
Gonna see the riverman
Gonna tell him all I can
About the ban on feeling free
If he tells me all he knows
'Bout the way his river flows
I don't suppose there's one for me
Oh how they come and go
Oh how they come and go
Aadd9 Am9 Gmadd4 F
E 0 x x x
B 2 0 3 1
G 4 5 3 2
D 2 2 5 3
A 0 0 3 3
E 0 0 3 1
PICKING PATTERN (in Aadd9 but repeat for each chord):
E -------------------|--------------------|
B ---2---2-------2---|---2---2-------2----|
G ---4---4-------4---|---4---4-------4----|
D ---2---2-2-----2-2-|---2---2-2-----2-2--|
A ---0---0-------0---|---0---0-------0----|
E -0---0-----0-0-----|-0---0-----0-0------|
NOTES: Play with capo on the third fret. Of course, no Nick Drake song
could be easy to play. This song is in 5/4 time, so there is an extra
beat. It is extremely tricky to play correctly as a result. The key to
this song in the timing.
(sent by Harlan at harlant@hawaii.edu)
From: bike@xs4all.nl (bike)
River man - Nick Drake
Album - Five leaves left
I have figured out how I can play that song and not what Nick's doing. First
of all, I'm not so good at playing, and second, I can't hear it exact enough.
Of this song I only give the chords because I don't have any feeling how
to fingerpick it. Any suggestions welcome.
Intro:
Bm | Bsus4 | Bm | Bsus4 |
Bm
Betty came by on her way
A
Said she has a word to say
G
About things today
E
And fallen leaves
Said she hadn't heard the news
Hadn't had the time to choose
A way to lose
But she believes
Going to see the river man
Going to tell him all I can
About the plan
For lilac time
If he tells me all he knows
About the way his river flows
And all night shows
In summertime
Betty said she prayed today
For the sky to blow away
Or maybe stay
She wasn't sure
For when she thought of summer rain
Calling for her mind again
She lost the pain
And stayed for more
Going to see the river man
Going to tell him all I can
About the ban
On feeling free
If he tells me all he knows
About the way his river flows
I don't suppose
It's meant for me
Outro:
Bm and Bsus4 (I know, I'm not very exact at this point but I mostly skip it)
Oh, how they come and go
Oh, how they come and go
---------------
version 2
Tuning:EADGBe (capo 3rd)
This is somewhat similiar to the other version but I hope this ones a bit more
comprehensive. And this one covers the "Oh, how they come and go" bit whereas
the other one doesn't. This is quite a tough song to play rythmically speaking,
its in 5/4 time and starts on an anacrusis. One way I recommend on learning this
song properly is to sing along to it, this forces you to keep time better.
Intro: Cadd9/G (Aadd9/E (Relative to capo remember))
e|----------------------0-----|
B|----2-----2-----------2-----|
G|----4-----4-----------4-----|X4
D|----2-----2--2-----------2--|
A|----0-----0-----------0-----|
E|-0-----0--------0--0--------|
Verse: Cm9/G (Am9/E)
e|----------------------------|------------------------------|
B|----1-----1----------1------|-----1------1-----------1-----|
G|----4-----4----------4------|-----4------4-----------4-----|
D|----2-----2--2-------2--2---|-----2------2--2--------2--2--|
A|----0-----0----------0------|-----0------0-----------0-----|
E|-0-----0-------0--0---------|--0------0--------0--0--------|
Bbmadd11 (Gmadd11)
e|-----------------------|-----------------------------|
B|-----3-----3--------3--|-----3-----3-----------------|
G|-----3-----3--------3--|-----3-----3-----------3-----|
D|-----0--------0-----0--|-----0--------0--------5-----|
A|-----------3-----------|-----------3-----------5-----|
E|--3-----3--------3-----|--3-----3--------3--0-----0--|
Ab (F)
e|-----------------------------|
B|-----1-----1-----------1-----|
G|-----2-----2-----------2-----|
D|-----3-----3--3--------3--3--|
A|-----3-----3-----------3-----|
E|--1-----1--------1--1--------|
Cadd9/G (Add9/E)
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------0-----|
B|-----1-----1-----------1-----|-----2-----2-----------2-----|
G|-----2-----2-----------2-----|-----4-----4-----------4-----|
D|-----3-----3--3--------3-----|-----2-----2--2-----------2--|
A|-----3-----3-----------3--0--|-----0-----0-----------0-----|
E|--1-----1--------1--1--------|--0-----0--------0--0--------|
e|-----------------------0-----|
B|-----2-----2-----------2-----|
G|-----4-----4-----------4-----|
D|-----2-----2--2-----------2--|
A|-----0-----0-----------0-----|
E|--0-----0--------0--0--------|
Intro: Cadd9/G
Verse 1: Cm9/G Bbm add11
Betty camd by on her way
Ab
Said she had a word to say
Cadd9/G
about things today and fallen leaves
Cm9/G Bbm add11
Said she hadn't heard the news
Ab
Hadn't had the time to choose
Cadd9/G
A way to lose, but she believes.
Cm9/G Bb add11
Verse 2: Going to see the river man
Ab
Going to tell him all I can
Cadd9/G
About the plan for lilac time
Cm9/G Bb add11
If he tells me all he knows
Ab
About the way his river flows
(C7b5)
|002040|
And all night shows in the summertime
Instrumental section: Ab Cadd9/G Ab Cadd9/G
Repeat verse 1 for 3 and verse 2 for 4.
Verse 3: Betty said she prayed today
For the sky to blow away
Or maybe stay, she wasn't sure
For when she thought of summer rain
Calling for her mind again
She lost the pain and stayed for more.
Verse 4: Going to see the river man
Going to tell him all I can
About the ban, on flying free
If he tells me all he knows
About the way his river flows
I don't suppose it's meant for me.
(C13/G)
Outro: |004020|
Oh, how they come and go (C7b5/G)
Cm9/G Cadd9/G |002040|
Oh, how they come and go (Fine)
| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
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